Feld Not Running for Re-Election? She Says She Is

Judy Silberstein, posted on December 10, 2009

An informed source told the Gazette on Thursday, December 10 that Mayor Liz Feld will not be running for re-election and that leaders in the Larchmont Democratic Party are leaning toward having Josh Mandell be their mayoral nominee in 2010. The source insisted on anonymity because no formal decision has been made.

Ms. Feld also firmly denied that she is considering another run for the New York Senate.

“You can take that off the table,” said Bill O’Reilly, who served as Ms. Feld’s spokesperson in her failed 2008 campaign for NY Senate against Democrat Suzi Oppenheimer and is once again helping her with communications.

He indicated that “there is a lot involved” in deciding whether to run for US Senate. Asked if there has been any public support for a Feld candidacy, he replied, “no public announcement, but many, many private conversations of support. We’re holding our cards close to the vest.”

Kolbert and Mandell Seeking Re-election

Three positions on the Larchmont Village Board are up for election in March, those of Ms. Feld, Mr. Mandell and Marlene Kolbert.

Ms. Feld has promised to announce a decision on the Senate run ”sooner rather than later.” Candidates for the Larchmont Village Board typically are nominated in party caucuses that must be held by the end of January.

Ms. Kolbert, a Democrat, told the Gazette on Thursday, “I’m planning to run with Josh and Liz, if she plans to run again. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Liz and Josh.”

Mr. Mandell was equally positive. “I’m definitely seeking another term as trustee,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with the board and accomplishing many of the tasks that are outstanding, particularly in this difficult budget year.”

Both Ms. Kolbert and Ms. Mandell said they speak only for themselves and not for their party.

“Right now we don’t know who the candidates will be,” said Jaine Elkind Eney, the co-chair of the Democratic Party along with Lorraine Walsh. “The caucus is January 26, and that’s when we’ll pick our candidates.” There will be an organizational meeting in anticipation of the caucus, she added.

I have a suggestion for Mayor Liz Feld: hire a diplomacy coach! If you are going to run with the wolves, you still need to talk nicely about the doves – the constituents who may or may not be sending you off to Washington or Albany, wherever you are seeking a Senate seat.

There are lessons to be learned and choice words to select in the political arena – calling an anonymous speculator “cowardly” because they suggested you will be running for a Senate seat is not a proper use of the English language – at least not in EmilyPost’s book! Etiquette my dear friend, would behoove you! While many of us may rally behind you, I believe that you will win a lot more bees with honey than with vinegar. There will be a lot of name calling and finger pointing ahead of you should you decide to seek a seat in the Senate; but it is the more respected man or woman who handles it with dignity and grace and maturity rather than name calling and slinging the mud back into thin air – because that is where it is going, into thin air.

Unfortunately, in this world we are not judged as much on performance as we are on our likeability factor. You can be the smartest guy on the block, and outperform every one else, but if you are not well respected or well liked, then you will only go so far in life. This is a lesson that some of us learn more easily than others.